Affidavit Campaign

Overview

In response to massive legal aid cuts in 2002, West Coast LEAF launched an affidavit campaign where we collected affidavits of women in BC whose lives had been devastated because of their lack of representation in court.

Why this project?

Access to the family law legal system is a key issue for women’s equality in Canada. These affidavits illustrate the devastating effects that a lack of legal representation brings to bear on women’s lives as they interact with the family law system.

What we did

We collected the 13 stories below, which stem from the sworn testimonies of women who cannot access the judicial system. They are losing custody of their children, abandoning valid claims to child and spousal support, and facing relentless litigation-harassment from well-represented ex-spouses.

All stories are collected with consent. Names have been changed to protect confidentiality.

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West Coast Leaf

West Coast LEAF is the only organization in BC that uses the law to further gender equality. We work to end gender-based discrimination using equality rights litigation, law reform, and public legal education.